my memories of eighty years-第24节

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Mr。　Platt　and　Mr。　Miller　responded　to　this　suggestion　and　I　replied：　　〃Gentlemen；　New　York　has　given　to　me　its　cordial　and　practically　unanimous　support；　and　I　have　felt　under　the　circumstances　that　I　should　follow　and　not　lead。　　The　situation　which　has　grown　out　of　this　discussion　here　eliminates　two　candidates。　　Without　the　aid　of　Senator　Platt　and　his　friends；　Mr。　Sherman　could　not　carry　New　York。　　Iowa　has　gone　to　the　extreme　of　radical　legislation　which　threatens　the　investment　in　securities　of　her　railroads；　and　New　York　is　such　a　capitalistic　State　that　no　man　identified　with　that　legislation　could　carry　a　majority　of　the　vote　of　its　people；　and　that　makes　Allison　impossible。　There　is　one　candidate　here　who　at　present　apparently　has　no　chance；　but　who；　nevertheless；　seems　to　me　to　possess　more　popular　qualifications　than　any　other；　and　that　is　General　Benjamin　Harrison；　of　Indiana。　　I　do　not　know　him；　never　met　him；　but　he　rose　from　the　humblest　beginnings　until　he　became　the　leader　of　the　bar　of　his　State。　　He　enlisted　in　the　Civil　War　as　a　second　lieutenant；　and　by　conspicuous　bravery　and　skill　upon　the　battle…field　came　out　as　brigadier…general。　　As　United　States　senator　he　became　informed　about　federal　affairs。　　His　grandfather；　President　William　H。　Harrison；　had　one　of　the　most　picturesque　campaigns　in　our　history。　　There　are　enough　survivors　of　that　'hard　cider　and　log　cabin'　canvass　to　make　an　attractive　contribution　on　the　platform　at　every　meeting；　and　thus　add　a　certain　historic　flavor　to　General　Harrison's　candidacy。〃

After　some　discussion　the　other　three　agreed。　　We　reported　our　conclusion　to　the　delegation；　which　by　an　overwhelming　majority　assented　to　the　conclusions　of　the　four　delegates　at　large。　　This　decision　settled　the　question　in　the　convention；　and　after　a　few　ballots　General　Harrison　was　nominated。　　New　York　was　awarded　the　vice…presidency　and　selected　Levi　P。　Morton。

During　Harrison's　administration　I　was　absorbed　in　my　duties　as　president　of　the　New　York　Central　Railroad；　and　was　seldom　in　Washington。　　But　soon　after　his　inauguration　he　sent　to　me　a　member　of　Congress　from　Indiana　with　a　special　message。　　This　congressman　said：　　〃I　come　from　President　Harrison；　and　he　has　instructed　me　to　offer　you　a　place　in　his　Cabinet。　　He　is　anxious　to　have　you　in　his　official　family。〃

I　told　him　that　I　was　not　prepared　to　enter　public　life；　and　while　I　was　exceedingly　gratified　by　the　offer；　it　was　impossible　for　me　to　accept。

The　congressman　said：　　〃I　am　a　poor　man；　but　cannot　understand　how　anybody　can　refuse　to　be　member　of　the　Cabinet　of　the　President　of　the　United　States。　　If　such　an　offer　was　made　to　me；　and　the　conditions　of　our　overruling　Providence　were　that　I　and　my　family　should　live　in　want　and　poverty　for　the　rest　of　our　lives；　I　would　accept　without　hesitation。〃

I　had　met　Benjamin　Harrison　as　we　passed　through　Indianapolis　on　business　during　the　canvass；　for　the　first　time。　　I　was　much　impressed　with　him；　but　his　austerity　appeared　to　those　who　called　upon　him　while　present　upon　official　business。　　I　found　him　one　of　the　most　genial　and　agreeable　of　men；　and　this　impression　was　intensified　when　I　met　him　at　the　White　House。　　At　his　own　table　and　family　dinners　he　was　one　of　the　most　charming　of　hosts。　　He　had；　unfortunately；　a　repellent　manner　and　a　harsh　voice。　　In　meeting　those　who　came　to　him　for　official　favors　this　made　him　one　of　the　most　unpopular　presidents　with　senators　and　members　of　the　House　of　Representatives。

On　the　platform　as　a　public　speaker　he　had　few　equals。　　He　was　most　lucid　and　convincing；　and　had　what　few　orators　possess；　which　was　of　special　use　to　him　in　campaigning　and　touring　the　country　as　president；　the　ability　to　make　a　fresh　speech　every　day　and　each　a　good　one。　　It　was　a　talent　of　presenting　questions　from　many　angles；　each　of　which　illuminated　his　subject　and　captivated　his　audience。　　It　was　said　of　him　by　a　senator　who　was　his　friend；　and　the　remark　is　quoted　by　Senator　Hoar；　that　if　he　spoke　to　an　audience　of　ten　thousand　people；　he　would　make　every　one　of　them　his　friend；　but　if　he　were　introduced　to　each　of　them　afterwards；　each　would　depart　his　enemy。　　I　think　that　his　manner；　which　was　so　unfortunate；　came　from　the　fact　that　his　career　had　been　one　of　battle；　from　his　early　struggles　to　his　triumphant　success。

A　short　time　before　the　national　convention　met　in　1892　Senator　Frank　Hiscock　came　to　me　and　said　that　President　Harrison　had　requested　him　to　ask　me　to　lead　his　forces　on　the　floor　in　the　convention。　　I　said　to　him　that　I　was　a　loyal　organization　man　and　did　not　want　to　quarrel　with　our　leader；　Senator　Platt。　　Then　he　told　me　that　he　had　seen　Platt；　who　remarked　that　no　one　could　help　Harrison；　and　that　I　would　conduct　the　campaign　in　better　spirit　than　any　one；　and　so　he　had　no　objection　to　my　accepting　the　position。　　There　was　one　obstacle　which　I　wished　removed。　　I　was　devoted　to　Mr。　Blaine　and　not　only　was　one　of　his　political　supporters　but　very　fond　of　him　personally。　　Mr。　Blaine　happened　to　be　in　the　city；　and　I　immediately　called　upon　him。　His　health　was　then　very　bad。

〃Mr。　Blaine；〃　I　said　to　him；　〃if　you　are　a　candidate；　you　know　I　will　support　you　with　the　greatest　of　pleasure；　but　if　not；　then　I　will　accept　the　invitation　of　the　president。〃

Mr。　Blaine　was　most　cordial。　　He　said　that　he　had　no　objections　whatever　to　my　taking　the　commission；　but　he　doubted　if　the　president　could　be　renominated；　and　that　he　could　not　be　re…elected　if　nominated。　　Harrison　had　made　an　excellent　president；　but　his　manner　of　treating　people　who　came　to　him　had　filled　the　country　with　bitter　and　powerful　enemies；　while　his　friends　were　very　few。

Then　he　mentioned　several　other　possible　candidates；　but　evidently　doubted　the　success　of　the　Republican　party　in　the　election。　　In　regard　to　himself　he　said：　　〃If　I　should　accept　the　nomination　I　could　not　endure　the　labors　of　the　canvass　and　its　excitements。　It　would　kill　me。〃　　That　diagnosis　of　his　condition　was　correct　and　was　demonstrated　by　the　fact　that　he　died　soon　after　the　election；　but　long　before　he　could　be　inaugurated　if　elected。

All　organization　leaders　of　the　party　were　united　against　the　nomination　of　President　Harrison。　　The　leaders　were　Platt；　Quay；　and　Clarkson；　who　was　also　chairman　of　the　national　committee。　They　were　the　greatest　masters　of　organization　and　of　its　management　we　ever　had　in　politics；　especially　Platt　and　Quay。　　Their　methods　were　always　secret；　so　I　decided　that　the　only　hope　of　success　for　President　Harrison　was　in　the　greatest　publicity。

The　position　I　had　accepted　soon　became　known；　and　I　began　to　give　the　fullest　interviews；　each　one　an　argument　for　the　renomination　of　the　president。　　I　went　to　Chicago　a　few　days　in　advance　of　the　convention；　was　met　there　by　correspondents　of　the　press；　some　fifty　of　them；　and　gave　them　a　talk　in　a　body；　which　made　a　broadside　in　the　morning　papers；　each　correspondent　treating　it　in　his　own　way；　as　his　own　individual　interview。

This　statement　or；　rather；　argument；　was　intended　to　be　read　and　succeeded　in　being　so　by　the　delegates　from　everywhere　who　were　on　their　way　to　the　convention　and　had　to　pass　through　Chicago。　　The　convention　was　held　in　Minneapolis。　　I　received　from　that　city　an　invitation　to　address　a　gathering　of　New　Yorkers　who　had　settled　in　the　West　to　speak　before　two　patriotic　audiences；　and　to　make　the　address　at　the　dedication　of　the　great　hall　where　the　convention　was　to　meet。

It　was　evident　that　before　these　engagements　had　been　concluded；　every　delegate　would　have　attended　some　of　these　meetings；　and；　therefore；　with　the　relationship　between　a　speaker　and　his　audience；　I　would　be　practically　the　only　man　in　the　convention　who　was　personally　known　to　every　member。　　This　relationship　was　an　enormous　benefit　in　conducting　the　canvass。

The　great　organization　leaders　were　difficult　of　access　and　carried　on　their　campaign　through　trusted　members　of　each　State　delegation。　My　rooms　were　wide　open　for　everybody。　　On　account　of　the　conflicting　statements　made　by　members　of　the　State　delegations；　it　was　very　difficult　to　make　an　accurate　and　detailed　list　of　those　who　were　for　the　president；　and　those　who　were　for　Mr。　Blaine。　　It　occurred　to　me　that　it　would　help　to　call　a　meeting　of　the　Harrison　delegates。　Many　thought　it　was　hazardous；　as　it　might　develop　a　majority　the　other　way。

The　meeting　was　attended；　however；　by　every　delegate；　those　opposed　coming　out　of　curiosity。　　Taking　the　chair；　I　asked　some　member　of　each　delegation　to　arise　and　state　how　many　votes　he　believed　could　be　relied　upon　from　his　State。　　Of　course　the　statement　of　each　delegate　was　often　loudly　challenged　by　others　from　his　State　who　were　present。　　When　the　result　was　announced　it　showed　a　majority　of　three　for　General　Harrison。　　A　veteran　campaigner　begged　me　to　announce　it　as　fifty；　but　I　refused。　　〃No；〃　I　said；　〃the　closeness　of　the　vote　when　there　is　every　opportunity　for　manipulation　would　carry　conviction。〃

An　old　gentleman　who　stood　beside　me　had　a　gold…headed　ebony　cane。　　I　seized　it　and　rapped　it　on　the　table　with　such　force　that　it　broke　in　two　and　announced　that　the　figures　showed　absolute　certainty　of　Presi